Turner solves Texoma teaser, leads after opening round
Stren Series Central Division veteran puts together two consistent days despite trying conditions
DENISON, Texas – Just as many had predicted, light winds and sunny skies led to difficult fishing on day two of the Stren Series Central Division event on Lake Texoma. The majority of those who found success have dialed into a consistent finesse pattern. After catching 13 pounds, 4 ounces on day one, Rick Turner followed up that performance with a limit Thursday weighing 17 pounds, 12 ounces. Turner’s two-day total weighed 31 pounds even, which was tops among the pros.
“The fish just bit better for me today,” said Turner, who was in 11th place following yesterday’s weigh-in.
Turner knows Lake Texoma well: He won the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail event here last year. Using a Spot Remover jighead and Zoom green-pumpkin finesse worm, Turner is fishing rocks in anywhere from 3 to 15 feet of water. Four of his fish on day two were smallmouths.
“I have plenty of fish left if I can just get them in the boat tomorrow. Those smallmouths are so mean. They jump, pull and shake to get rid of that hook.”
Tomorrow the Tyler, Texas, native will reunite with his day-one partner Bill Rogers.
“I’ve got seven spots. Yesterday I hit two of them, and today I hit two of them. Tomorrow I’ll start where I fished today; it seems to holder bigger fish. I’d be really happy with 20 pounds tomorrow, but I’d be satisfied with 16.”
Fredieu slips to second
James Fredieu of Saint Martinville, La., added 11 pounds, 3 ounces to his catch of 17 pounds, 12 ounces from yesterday to finish the opening round in second with a two-day total of 28 pounds, 15 ounces.
Fredieu more than accomplished what he had set out to do.
“I fished some new water and some of the same water,” he said. “I worked real hard to catch the first three, and then I ran around looking for new water. I think I might have found two new spots. Hopefully, with fewer boats on the water and with more cloud cover, it will be better.”
Fredieu said there are a ton of shad in his primary area, but all three species of bass are fighting each other to eat. He continued his finesse pattern, but tried a crankbait at one point in the day.
“My goal tomorrow is to get a limit first. I have four areas for just smallmouth. They’re just for big fish, but it can difficult to get them to bite.”
Folse finds them early
Darryl Folse of Addis, La., continued to catch fish and is now in third place with a two-day total of 26 pounds, 5 ounces.
“I’m ecstatic. I caught more fish today than yesterday, and I feel real good about tomorrow. I’m all by myself; I only saw one boat today.”
Folse continued his pattern of flipping plastics in brush, although he did modify it slightly.
“I was basically doing the same thing, but in deeper water. I think the fish moved out deeper with that bright sun.”
McFarlin fourth
Pro Don McFarlin made a huge move up to the fourth position courtesy of a five-bass limit that weighed 15 pounds, 1 ounce. His two-day total weight was 26 pounds, 4 ounces.
“I only caught five fish, but they were the right ones,” said the Gordonville, Texas, pro. “Yesterday I underestimated these fishermen. I had to step it up today.”
Guidry fifth
Jeremy Guidry of Opelousas, La., remained in the fifth spot on the pro side with a five-bass limit weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces, pushing his opening-round total to 25 pounds, 8 ounces.
“Yesterday was pretty easy, but today was much tougher,” Guidry said. “We’re catching them within 5 feet or less, mostly on rock.”
Guidry said he has found two or three little areas that continue to hold quality fish.
“Yesterday, I power fished, but today I had to slow down and finesse them. I’m pretty much out of water, so tomorrow I might have to look for new stuff. But, I’ve found a consistent pattern more than anything, it’s a different lake every day.”
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 pros in the Stren Series Central Division on Lake Texoma:
6th: James Quillman of Dallas, 24-15
7th: Robert Robinson of Mobile, Ala., 24-15
8th: Chris McCall of Jasper, Texas, 24-14
9th: Keith Combs of Temple, Texas, 24-4
10th: Toby Hartsell of Livingston, Texas, 24-1
Rogers obliterates Co-angler Division
In the Co-angler Division, Bill Rogers once again flexed his angling muscle and brought 15 pounds, 2 ounces to the scale. His opening-round total of 31 pounds, 14 ounces crushed his nearest competitor by 12 pounds. In a rare occurrence, Rogers’ two-day weight is even more than that of the leading professional angler.
“It’s been an amazing tournament so far,” said Rogers, who has 15 top-10 finishes in his FLW Outdoors career. “It could change tomorrow. You never know, but right now, I’m enjoying it.”
Yesterday his meal ticket was giant smallmouths, but today he switched to largmouths when his pro decided to fish docks. He continued using a Giggy Head worm, but also added spinnerbaits to his arsenal.
“This is just my tournament; I haven’t had a fish come off yet. I’d like to thank my day-one partner, Rick Turner. He really showed me how to catch them.”
Oddly enough, Rogers and Turner will be paired together again on day three.
“I’m really looking forward to tomorrow,” Rogers said. “I’ll be fishing with a good friend and the guy I practiced with.”
Finishing the opening round in second place among the co-anglers was Phillip Hudnall, who caught a two-day total of 19 pounds, 15 ounces.
The Newkirk, Okla., resident caught his fish on a little finesse worm and a Carolina rig.
“Yesterday they were in the shade of the docks, but today we caught them off deeper points with the Carolina rig,” said Hudnall, who finished fourth at the last Central Division event on Sam Rayburn. “I’d be happy to get another 10 pounds tomorrow.”
Bill G. Yelverton of Baton Rouge, La., is in third place with a two-day total of 19 pounds, 13 ounces. Yelverton caught a mixed bag of spotted bass, smallmouths and largemouths with finesse baits.
“I think 10 pounds tomorrow would be really good,” Yelverton rationalized. “That would put me in the top five for the next day.”
Eugene B. Moore III of Little Rock, Ark., is in fourth place with a two-day total of 18 pounds, 6 ounces.
Tim Webb of Olpe, Kan., is in fifth with an opening-round total of 17 pounds, 13 ounces.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the Stren Series Central Division on Lake Texoma:
6th: Bill Guillory of Jasper, Texas, 17-10
7th: James Nichols of Ozark, Ark., 15-13
8th: Wesley Schubert of Conroe, Texas, 15-9
9th: Steve Foushee of Murphy, Texas, 15-9
10th: Kelly Mason of Achille, Okla., 15-7
Competition resumes Friday at 7 a.m. Central time from Highpoint Marina. The top 20 pros and 20 co-anglers will start from zero, and the top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers after Friday’s weigh-in will advance to fish Saturday.